Diesel and gasoline sales bounce back in Great Britain

London (Quantum Commodity Intellignce) - Sales of diesel and gasoline at filling stations in Great Britain bounced back last week amid the easing of lockdowns, according to data collected by the UK government.

On one day, Friday, pump sales of road fuel exceeded the daily average seen before travel restrictions were imposed in March 2020 to stop the spread of Covid-19 infections.

Filling stations in England, Scotland and Wales each sold an average of 9,460 litres of ultra low sulfur diesel and 6,350 litres of gasoline a day over the week to April 23.

The combined average of 15,810 litres a day per filling station was up 15.7% from the average of 13,820 litres between 11 May 2020 and 18 April 2021.

Last week's pump sales were also just over 10% down from the average of 17,690 litres a day before the first lockdown restrictions on March 22, 2020.  

On Friday, the average per filling station hit 17,901 litres, higher than the eight-week daily average before the pandemic took hold.

"In the coming weeks, sales may continue to rise as administrations transition out of the current lockdowns," the UK's Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy stated, which sampled data from 4,500 filling stations.

In the first seven weeks of strict lockdown last year, between 23 March and 10 May 2020, road fuel sales dropped to just 6,940 litres a day.